Text Box: This type of commercial liquid nutritional supplement can be useful when a person is unable to consume adequate Calories and/or protein for whatever reason. Ideally, the goal should be food first, supplements second. If you are maintaining your weight, you probably don’t need Boost or Ensure but if you can’t eat/drink enough, these can help. There are a variety of nutritional supplements available: Boost and Ensure are popular brand names. Several stores have their own brand of these that are less expensive and contain very comparable ingredients. The regular type has about 250 Calories per 8 oz. The ‘plus’-type has 360 Calories/8 oz. Carnation Instant Breakfast (CIB) powder is a good alternative to add to milk (cow’s milk or soy milk) that some people prefer the taste of. These are readily available in stores. CIB also comes in a canned, ready to use product also. They come in higher Calorie versions (560 Cals/8 oz.!) available from the company (Nestle). The advantage of these is the convenience of a prepared, ready to use product. They come in a variety of flavors and you can mix them with other foods like ice cream, milk, fruit, whatever to your own taste preferences. Two that are unique to cancer care are Prosure and Resource Support. The unique component is fish oil, an excellent source of omega-3 fats. These fats have been shown to slow down or stop cancer-induced weight loss. If you are already taking a multivitamin and you need extra Calories and/or protein, then you could use milkshakes and fruit smoothies instead. You don’t really need the vitamin/mineral fortification of the commercially prepared products. I personally really like the idea of using real food ingredients so that you can get naturally occurring antioxidants and beneficial phytochemicals that are not in commercial products. If severe weight loss has been an issue, fish oil can be taken separately also. There are others but this article is getting long so I ask you to contact me – I’d be happy to answer all your questions and concerns! Best wishes, Lynne

 

Nutrition Tips

 

Should I drink a supplement

 like Boost or Ensure?